As I've already mentioned on the front page, I've encountered significant gender bias in healthcare, but more specifically in the wide-ranged 'alternative medicine.'  I used to scoff at nutritionists and didn't fully realize what they did (this is not to say all studies termed "nutrition" are the same!).

I thought they simply told you what you eat based on some kind of thing such as "eat right for your blood type" and other books that family, friends were into.  I have run into all kinds of people proclaiming to be educated in many fields, especially in metabolism and nutrition yet they were not able to answer basic question for me, and if they did, what they said didn't make any sense.

Gender bias exists in 'conventional medicine' (nothing conventional about it -- it's mostly guesswork) to such an extent that most of the treatments and examinations are performed on women ranging from breast exams, increased testing, and so on.  You can also perform cursory examinations for evidence of this along with searches from so-called authorities such as the WHO and governments around the world.  There is a plethora of statistics to show this as well.  Men are generally taught, at least in Western culture, to not worry about their health as much as women, or to "man up" and forget their complaints and concerns.

Table Of Contents

1. Gender differences in health care expenditures, resource utilization, and quality of care

"Conventional" medicine is reductionist & views humans as machines

During the Renaissance, anatomists started dissecting cadavers to better understand the human body's structure and function. This exploration resulted in the development of new surgical techniques and treatments, emphasizing empirical observation and experimentation. As medicine progressed into the 19th and early 20th centuries, specialization became more common, with doctors focusing on specific areas of the body or diseases.

However, the reductionist approach to medicine truly flourished in the mid-20th century with the emergence of the biomedical model. This model views the body of both males and females as a machine with individual parts that can be studied and manipulated separately.

This model views the body -- of both males and females -- as a machine with individual parts that can be studied and manipulated separately.

Medicine's objective shifted towards identifying and treating specific diseases or conditions, often through drugs or surgery. While this method has advanced medical knowledge and treatment significantly, it has faced criticism for potentially overlooking the intricate interactions between different body systems and reducing patients to mere symptoms and diagnoses. 

Orthomolecular medicine, on the other hand, forms the very foundation of integrative medicine which views the whole body and lifestyle, along with biochemistry -- and viewing the body as wellness rather than only "conventional" medicine's view as only dis-ease to be treated. It all began when the brilliant Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Laureate, introduced the term 'orthomolecular' in his groundbreaking article, Orthomolecular Psychiatry, which was published in the esteemed journal Science on April 19th, 1968. By combining the Greek word 'ortho' (meaning straight, correct, right) with 'molecule', Pauling created a term that quite literally translates to 'right molecule'. Thanks to the visionary thinking of Pauling and the pioneering efforts of Abram Hoffer, orthomolecular medicine strives to restore the body's optimal environment by rectifying molecular imbalances. These imbalances are identified through a wide range of tests and the expertise of physicians, all while taking into account individual biochemistry.

The article states "neglect of women's health needs within scientific medicine" but the problem with this statement is they don't differentiate between the 2 main branches of "scientific medicine" which is reductionism and systems science.  

They also state that "the absense of evidence base and plausible mechanisms of action leaves patients unable to recognize meaningful autonomy" and this is because they refer to only the wide-ranged 'alternative medicine" field without recognizing the specifics and there is indeed FAR more scientific evidence within the realm of orthomolecular/systems/functional medicine than the "guess work" of conventional medicine.

This is the confusing propaganda that misleads us all

There's no such thing as a "balanced diet" & nutrition isn't merely food. Why is that? It's because we're all individuals. Orthomolecular nutrition is the individualized analysis application of the substances within the food which our bodies often do not obtain enough of and are often blocked by antagonists.

The article I am mentioning above and explained more in detail below (along with the original academic reference link) is one that doesn't mention the entirely legitimate and powerful Orthomolecular Healthcare paradigm and we could guess why they don't mention it: probably because they are not aware of it like many people I meet and talk to out there.  It is likely part of the witch-hunt against all alternatively healthcare practitioners, and that again is another very legitimate story.  The article below is yet another attempt to, I suspect and see, discredit fields like orthomolecular medicine and thus, prevents even more men from entering into the field.

Where did the term "patriarchy" originate from?

When Max Horkheimer assumed leadership of the Institute for Social Research in 1930 and assembled a group of Marxist-Leninist intellectuals that included Theodor Adorno and Herbert Marcuse, they could not have foreseen that future generations of the Frankfurt School would incorporate feminists. However, in Fortunes of Feminism, Nancy Fraser reflects on the history of second-wave feminism while simultaneously being a prominent second-wave feminist and a key member of the Frankfurt School’s third wave. She faces fewer challenges than Horkheimer and Adorno did. Initially, they had abandoned the idea of a proletariat revolution as envisioned by Marx.

The European working class had not fulfilled their role in bringing about socialism, with many even turning to fascism. Consequently, the early efforts of the Frankfurt School were focused on establishing a foundation for a critical theory of society. While Marx and Lukács believed they could adopt the perspective of the so-called "proletariat" to analyze capitalism's future and its downfall, how could one develop a critical theory of society without relying on the working class? By the end of their lives, Horkheimer and Adorno had broadened their critique of capitalism to encompass Western "instrumentalist" reason as a whole, leading to uncertainty not only about their standpoint but also about their audience.  in essense they turned their failed Marxist "working class struggle" to encompass women and so-called "minorities" as if humans were simply commodities.  This attempt, too, is failing mainly because many are realizing the concepts within this quote:

"The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom — whether black or white — who find in that paranoid vision an excuse for counterproductive and ultimately self-destructive attitudes and behavior." -- Thomas Sowell. Is an American economist, social philosopher, and political commentator

More about Marxist-Leninist inspired Feminist movement and where it came from can be found here.

"I Don't Believe You" Or "You Must Hate Women"

Don't believe me? This is a very large topic, but articles like this shed only a "progressive" ideological feminist lens and call the reductionist "conventional" medical model patriarchal as if it were still dominated by men.  They virtually never talk about why men in the past dominated many areas of the world: because they devote their lives (and very long work hours) to developing and earning a living for the family and hence society.

Gender bias in medical treatment poses significant risks to patient outcomes. When both genders are not provided with equal quality care for the same medical conditions, or when the unique manifestations of diseases based on sex are not taken into account, it can have detrimental effects. Unfortunately, gender bias is prevalent across various medical specialties. For instance, heart attacks and heart diseases are often mistakenly considered as predominantly affecting men.

Numerous reports, including research highlighted in publications like "The Guardian" in the UK, indicate that companies often promote ineffective health products to women under the guise of ideological feminist wellness messages. Studies suggest that this marketing strategy may lead to women facing risks like overdiagnosis and unnecessary medical interventions by urging them to prioritize their health.

Women also are dominating the consumer market like never before, with $7 trillion in spending power in the US alone. They control two-thirds of consumer wealth and influence 85% of purchasing decisions -- doesn't sound like a patriarchy, but more like a matriarchy doesn't it? Surprisingly, 91% of women feel misunderstood by advertiser (source).

To address this issue, it is crucial to first acknowledge the existence of gender bias in healthcare. Additionally, patients themselves need to be aware of this bias and ask the right questions to their healthcare providers. By recognizing and actively addressing gender bias, we can strive towards providing equitable and effective medical treatment for all individuals.

Most healthcare marketing, research and policy aimed toward females

Contrary to ideological dogma such as feminism and many otherss, men's health is a pressing issue worldwide, yet it remains largely overlooked in public health literature and policy.

• Research has consistently shown that men face higher risks of illness, injury, and have a shorter life expectancy compared to women.
• The leading causes of death among men include heart disease, cancers, and suicide.
• One contributing factor to these health disparities is that men are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and dangerous driving.
• Additionally, men tend to have poorer cellular nutritional status (usualy diets) and are less aware of the risks associated with their weight. Despite these challenges, men are also less likely to seek formal healthcare or adopt health-improving behaviors. This can be attributed to societal expectations and gender norms that portray men as "tough and resilient," discouraging them from taking care of their health or seeking support.
• Seeking help for mental health issues, for example, is often stigmatized among men, leading them to hide their feelings and avoid seeking assistance.

Furthermore, men are less proactive in seeking health information and advice compared to women, and they may struggle to recognize symptoms of serious health problems. Practical barriers, such as limited healthcare access or inconvenient appointment systems, also contribute to men's reluctance to seek medical care. As a result, men are often considered a "hard to reach" group when it comes to preventive healthcare. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account men's behaviors and attitudes towards their health. By challenging societal norms and promoting a more inclusive and supportive environment, we can encourage men to prioritize their health and seek the care they need.

Health & Alternative Medicine Marketing aimed toward women

Marketing standards dictate that fit bodies are what sell products, often neglecting to promote a more diverse range of body types. It will take the influence of customers and social media figures to push fashion brands to embrace a healthier and more inclusive approach to clothing. This issue extends to the body positivity movement, where male representation is lacking. Despite efforts to promote male body positivity, the movement is predominantly focused on supporting women. This lack of male representation is not intentional, but rather a reflection of societal norms in many parts of the world. The goal should be to unite voices from both the male and female body positivity communities to make a greater impact on shaping the perceptions of young individuals.

"Nutrition" schools aimed primarily at females

.. and there are many variations of the word "nutrition" where most think it's simply choosing so-called "healthy food" when in the orthomolecular/functional nutrition realm it's far more than this and more about scientifically-- in a systems biology way  (which most are unfamiliar with) -- , measuring everything about the body in an often inexpensive way.

I should also mention that in these 'schools' mentioned above the ratio of men to women is about 1:99.999 (or for every 99.99 women, only 1 man).  You extremely rarely see any males in these classes probably due to the fact that:

1. Men are not trained socially or evolutionary biologically to worry about their health as much as women
2. Disproportionate amounts of marketing of 'alternative medicine' is geared only toward women; like I said pick up any 'alt med' magazine or open any website and you see mainly geared toward women.
3. Like public schools across North America, the curriculum is geared toward female-centric learning styles with not as much emphasis placed on practical exercises in different learning styles geared toward men.
4. The unfounded, but popular perception that anything alt-med is "wishy washy' but they haven't heard of the hard science of orthomolecular medicine and the fields that incorporate it including functional/integrative medicine (does anyone know what these are? Not many).

As you can see from the above photos and below nutrition school links, the focus on women is over-represented in alt-med media, marketing, and could be modified to include men more often.  Men need more role-models especially in this wide-ranging field, but particularly the orthomolecular/naturopathic field.

Simply perform a cursory examination of nutrition schools, the marketing they use, the marketing available in the wide-ranging alt-med field, and other visible factors, and you will clearly see it is primarily geared toward women.

Examples:

https://www.facebook.com/CNM.UK

https://www.fxnutrition.com/

https://achs.edu/academics/departments/accredited-online-holistic-nutrition-degrees/

https://instituteofholisticnutrition.com/

https://csnn.ca/

.. and there are MANY more examples & all you need to do is look around!

The article I am mentioning below is one that doesn't mention the entirely legitimate and powerful Orthomolecular Healthcare paradigm and we could guess why they don't mention it: probably because they are not aware of it like many people I meet and talk to out there.  It is likely part of the witch-hunt against all alternatively healthcare practitioners, and that again is another very legitimate story.  The article below is yet another attempt to, I suspect and see, discredit fields like orthomolecular medicine and thus, prevents even more men from entering into the field.

Original article quoted in screenshot at top of article

References:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/15/companies-marketing-useless-health-products-to-women-using-feminist-wellbeing-messages

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10585-3

https://theinclusionpost.com/body-positivity-the-underrepresentation-of-men/

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/feminism-the-frankfurt-school-and-nancy-fraser/